Looking Back At Technology

Posted on February 26, 2009
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I recently bought a USB data storage device, and was astonished at the range of devices on offer and the capacity that was available to me for such a small price. I’m a regular computer user but I wouldn’t describe myself as a geek, that is, I don’t browse magazines and catalogues looking at hardware and I don’t really understand how computers work, I just know that they do work, and that’s enough for me.

I’m also old enough to remember a time when there were no home computers, just. When I was about 8 Atari launched the Video Computer System. I remember being at a cousin’s house one Christmas and being in thrall to the sight of a small line being hit by a dot on the TV screen over and over; simple pleasures indeed.

Shortly after that I did get my first computer, a Sinclair Spectrum 48k. 48K! It was one of the most incredible things I’d ever owned. I felt like Luke Skywalker sitting in the cockpit of an X-Wing Fighter every time I sat in from of it. It was the future at my fingertips. 48k seemed like the most powerful thing imaginable and I wasn’t alone. So imagine my surprise when I found, twenty five years later while looking for my first USB stick, that I could buy a data storage device with over 150,000 times the capacity of that Spectrum computer. 

I suppose I shouldn’t have been too surprised, it was 25 years after all. But I couldn’t help think about how far things had come in such a short space of time. It got me thinking about my first home PC, not too long ago, just 10 years. It was a homemade effort, my uncle made it for me, it was considerably bigger than the spectrum and weighed as much as a TV (and that’s without the monitor). But it was good for the time even and with a 4GB hard drive I was able to store unlimited data . . . or so I thought.

4GB wouldn’t go far nowadays of course, I have nearly 140GB of music and the same again of video on my current computer, maybe that’s just the data I’ve accumulated over the years but I suspect that if I started with a clean slate today I could easily fill the same space in just a short time. As the capacity of data storage has become greater the amount of data to fill that space has also increased. And the ease with which we can get the data onto our machines is, well, child’s play.

As I have already said I’m not a computer geek but I do use the computer a lot, particularly for music and films, in fact I have two computers, a desktop and a laptop, which is why I found myself looking for a USB data storage device. I wanted to move data between the two machines without having to burn a CD each time, which was beginning to prove costly and wasteful.

So I decided that I’d buy something that could get a file on it the size of a film, about 1GB. Surely that would be enough. But when I looked into it I was drawn in by the spec, the offers and the sheer size of some of the data storage devices that were on offer. I looked, in some cases, like the more I could get on one of these devices the smaller it became physically.

So I opted for 8GB satisfied that unlike my Spectrum and first PC technology wouldn’t move forward so much in the next few years that I’d need to buy something bigger any time soon. HA! No sooner had I bought it than I got an email for an offer on a 64GB data storage device.

Map Quest Maps & Directions On Your Cell

Posted on February 17, 2009
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Get Map Quest directions sent directly to your mobile device! With Map Quest Navigator you can receive driving directions spoken and concise right from your phone. Map Quest Send to Cell also allows you to transmit driving information from your PC to your phone so you can skip the printing process. Map Quest for Mobile Web lets you use the site to get all the maps and driving information you can manage right from your mobile web browser.

Why get a pricey machine when you can get the same things with Mapquest? Mapquest Navigator makes your mobile device into a global positioning system and helps you find any place anywhere in North America; fully equipped with voice operated directions. Driving directions have become easy as pie to upload and there is no need to purchase any special attachments, all you need is a web compatible cell. You can even receive phone calls without interrupting your instruction on some phone types. Mapquest Navigator is operated utilizing the most state of the art global positioning technology getting you to your final end goal conveniently and with ease.

What would be more convenient than looking up and charting a getaway on your home computer and transferring the gathered information instantly to your phone? Nada, this is why Map Quest has brought driving directions from your personal computer directly to your mobile device, you can have the ease of using a computer at home to get driving information and critique all the small details of your getaway then retrieve them on your phone. Map Quest Mobile Send to Cell allows you to do just that; transfer the driving directions you planned at home instantly to your cell, sparing your time and paper.

Driving directions are easy to get from Map Quest for Mobile Web. Map Quest for Mobile Web is the scaled down rendition of the well known site. You can look for alternate routes, road atlases, gas stations; anything available on mapquest.com is also available on the mobile web version. Want to add another stop to your trip, take a detour, find an alternate route, or skip traffic? Do what you want, when you want because you want to, all in the palm of your hand. Map Quest Mobile for Web…so much more for so much less the ordinary global tracking systems.

Breakthroughs In Mechanical Motor Design Aid In Operations Performed On Humans

Posted on January 23, 2009
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Breakthroughs in motor technology, until recently, had not kept up the pace with electronics design. However, there has been a push for robot technology over the past few years especially for use within the human body. Traditional electric motors do not scale well when shrank to tiny sizes mere millimiters in dimension due to loss.

The real innovators of medical robots and mechanical surgery are simple bacteria. As a result of evolutionary processes over the millenia, little structures called flagella, and other miracles of nature they have developed have given us humans the tools necessary to bring about large scale reductions in piezoelectric motors. The gains, or loses in size recently achieved have been well over 50% reductions in overall size. In addition to size factors, weight or mass also has a direct effect on the overal friction forces exerted upon the tiny moving parts.

At the turn of this century, or slightly after around 2001, the smallest of these ultrasonic, piezoelectric motors developed by researchers at Penn State’s Materials Research Institute were about the size of a single grain of rice. That was 1.8 millimeters in diameter and 4 millimeters long. These standards pale in comparison to what today’s technology can do, however, they were small but powerful motors. The smallest of these motors could be stopped in their tracks with the slightest pressure of a finger, yet those only fractionally larger could also rip through skin causing blood to flow.

Mapping out the human body may be quite a lofty goal, but a recent journal reported the smallest motors demonstrated are only twice the size of a strand of human hair. These miniature motors could be used to power microbots to fly inside the body performing feats of surgery only dreamed of with conventional medical technology. Researchers hoped for trends of miniaturisation that might lead to medical science robots that can sort out the mess within our bodies. Bringing this technology to the masses would be a huge medical leap forward.

With regard to medical robots there are still pitfalls to overcome. Piezoelectric materials deform when an constant voltage is applied to them. Efficiency levels are still miserable at this level of size also, similar in ranges to that of internal combustion engines found on the highways in America.

The worldwide increase of minimally invasive surgery across niche areas of the medical world has driven the need for micro-sized tools to perform procedures man is incapable of. Popularity of electronics like iPod’s and other small devices has also increased fixed constraints on device design. Motor design engineers have faced the ubiquitous medical device design challenge of shrinking the motor’s physical layout while maintaining functionality, power, and efficiency levels.

Apply Green Energy To Eliminate Global Warming

Posted on January 1, 2009
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As the world is continuously struggling to fight global warming and other environment pollutants, technological innovations which are environmental friendly are gaining prominence. Different approaches taken to tackle these issues and utilize Alternative energy, currently focus mainly on wind energy and hence wind turbines, photovoltaic cells , and even the use of the stirling engine.

You may be thinking that these are strategies and methodologies which have to be adopted by the government and you can really do nothing about it. This is untrue! There are now endless ways of applying Alternative energy innovatively.

How about if I asked you: “Would you like to unplug your house from the electric grid and start living 100% on Alternative energy? Would you want to save up to $200 per month and make the Electric Company pay you instead of you paying them? I guess I already know the answer…YES!

There are step by step methods that can be used by anyone who wants to generate his own electricity. So if you have ever wished to stop wasting money on your electricity bills and want to help save global economy and the Earth, you are on the right page.

Although there are many ways to produce alternative energy, many of the products you find will not be suitable to produce the electricity needed to be used domestically. They cost way too much for you to afford and can only be used corporately. Else, you’ll find some companies which have developed products for generating home wind power or solar power or both but they cost thousands of dollars excluding installation.

But there are less expensive devices available, not to mention plans you can use to build a device in your own garage for just a few dollars! They’ve been tried and tested, and hence proven to be effective ways to produce all the energy you need. 

You will be able to choose between two types of electricity generators. These are solar based or wind based. You could even combine both and form a home made Power Generation Plant. At the green-energy-earth.com site you’ll get instructions on what is best to build based on geographical location and the size of your house. Step by step diagrams are also available in manuals to make the building of your system easier. What’s more, you’re going to have the time of your life building it!

One other amazing way of benefiting from Alternative energy and helping in the earth salvation, is by learning how to effectively convert your gasoline car to an Electric Vehicle. Are you willing to reduce pollution, increase your mileage, eliminate fuel costs and be proud to drive your own personally converted Electric Vehicle?

Buying New Photography Gear? The Secret To Finding Outstanding Deals At Great Prices

Posted on December 22, 2008
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At some point, you’re going to want to either replace or add to your photography equipment. One of the main reasons people procrastinate is because of the daunting process they imagine in order to get the “right stuff” at the “best price.”

Although completely understandable, this type of mental obstacle course is really not necessary. After doing this myself for 20 years, I learned a lot, made some mistakes, and found some devilishly clever approaches to getting a “good deal.”

If you’re not buying new photography gear right now, that’s OK. But do yourself a favor and put this somewhere you remember so you have it handy when you are ready. Although the primary focus of this article is photographic gear, much of the information could easily address non-photographic purchases as well.

Know What You’re Trying To Do

For example, most people don’t roll out of bed one day and think: Yep, today’s a good day to get a new camera. Instead, the reason is often wanting to do something that is beyond the capabilities of their current gear.

At this point, it helps to know which camera features do what. For that, you might want to examine a list of camera features before getting new photo gear.

After deciding what specific gear you want to buy, the next question is: “What’s the secret to finding the best deals at bargain prices?” There’s three parts to that answer:

Buy Online, Not Retail

Buy from online merchants who you trust. Who is that, you wonder? Well, if you want to investigate it yourself, I would suggest going to PriceGrabber’s Merchant Rating Service and read the experiences others have had with the merchant.

Be alert for certain merchant warning signs that may indicate it’s time to look for a different merchant. Two possible red flags are a pushy sales representative; and having great prices on the main item, but have it bundled with accessories that are over-priced.

Stick With The Majors

Brand-wise, there are many excellent cameras on the market. But, if you don’t want to spend a month deciding on a brand, go with either Canon or Nikon.

There ARE Alternatives To New

If you are comfortable buying used equipment, there are some great deals to be had. In addition to eBay, there are a number of excellent sources for used photographic gear.

I like Craig’s List primarily because you can actually meet the seller in person and therefore test the equipment prior to purchase. If you’ve never used Craig’s List, just Google them for the one closest to where you live.

In addition to eBay and Craig’s List, there are several additional online options…

After obtaining your perfect photo gear, it’s time to focus on your ultimate objective and find out how to take the best photographs with it.

Electronic Photo Frames – Selection Criteria

Posted on December 19, 2008
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Digital picture frames have seen a marked reduction in price over the last couple of years. In fact it is now possible to find these starting at more or less the same price as traditional static photo frames.

So it’s no surprise that digital photo frames are increasing in popularity, especially when you consider the increased functionality on offer when compared with a traditional static frame. For example, digital frames can flick through a slide show of your favourite photos, quite possibly with special effects transitions. Some of the more expensive frames even have the capability to show brief video clips, including sound.

As with any other product, there are a range of functions which will affect not only on the price but also how suitable you feel any particular frame is for you. Some of the more obvious features that you might want to consider when selecting your digital frame might include:

SIZE
As with pc monitors and TVs, the size is measured diagonally from corner to corner. Seven inches is currently the most popular size but larger frames are available. In general, the larger the frame, the higher the price will be.

RESOLUTION
Again this is similar to computer monitors – resolution is measured in pixels. A digital photo frame which is specified as having a resolution of 750 X 500 will have a width of 750 pixels and a height of 500 pixels.

CONTROLS
Simple, easy to use controls are best. Many frames will have these hidden at the back – but the front and sides are usually easier to access and more convenient for the user.

MEMORY
Many digital photo frames have their own on-board memory for storing photos. Without this, you’ll need to use a memory card or USB stick in the frame.

Normally the frames can accept a variety of memory input methods – USB, SD, XD etc. Make sure that your chosen frame is compatible with the type of card used by your camera before you buy.

DISPLAY OPTIONS
Some frames have changeable surrounds, which make it easier to blend in with your decor – be it at home or at the office.

Some frames will even rotate the picture if you rotate the frame – effectively giving you the option of showing your photos in “landscape” or “portrait” orientations.

Most frames on offer today have the option of producing a slide show, often with a choice of transitions between pictures. Some frames might have an MP3 input which would allow you to add background music to your slideshows should you wish.

If you only want to display your photos during certain times of the day you might want to check out frames which have an internal clock.

Digital Photo Frames

Facts about Solar Energy

Posted on December 18, 2008
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How Solar Energy is Created

Solar energy consists of the light and heat emitted by the sun, in the form of electromagnetic radiation.

With today’s technology, we are able to capture this radiation and turn it into usable forms of solar energy – such as heating or electricity.

Although one could go into technical dissertations on the subject of electromagnetic radiation, how it is converted into solar energy, and the exact qualities of its electromagnetic rays, this is not something the average person needs or wants to know.

But in order to benefit the most from the use of solar power, there are a few facts you should know. Knowing these facts can assist you to make a sound decisions, when looking at the use of solar power as a clean energy source for your home, RV, or whatever the case may be.

Available Solar Resource

The technical feasibility and economical viability of using solar energy depends on the amount of available sunlight (solar radiation) in the area where you intend to place solar heaters or solar panels.

This is sometimes referred to as the available solar resource.

Every part of Earth is provided with sunlight during at least one part of the year. (I say “part of the year” as the north and south polar caps are each in total darkness for a few months of the year.) The amount of sunlight available is one factor to take into account when considering using solar energy.

There are, however, a few other factors which need to be looked at when determining the viability of solar energy in any given location. These are as follows:

* Geographic location
* Time of day
* Season
* Local landscape
* Local weather

Because the Earth is round, the sun hits its surface at different angles, at different locations on the globe. This ranges from 0º (just above the horizon – a good example of this is the north pole during the winter) to 90º (directly overhead, at and near the equator).

When the sun’s rays are vertical (directly overhead), the Earth’s surface gets a maximum of solar energy. The more slanted the sun’s rays are, the longer they have to travel through Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the surface (becoming more scattered and diffuse as they go along).

The more scattered and diffuse the sun rays are, the less concentrated the solar energy is. Because of the fact that the Earth is round, the polar regions never get direct sunlight, and, during their respective winter months, they receive no sun at all.

The Earth travels around the sun, in an elliptical orbit. Because of its elliptical path, the northern hemisphere of the Earth is closer to the sun during one half of the year, and the southern hemisphere is closer during the other half of the year.

When one part of the Earth is closer to the sun, it receives more concentrated solar energy. This is the time of year that is referred to as “summer.”

But regardless of summer or winter, the 23.5º tilt of the Earth’s axis plays a larger role in determining the amount of sunlight striking Earth at a particular location. The tilting of the earth results in longer days in the northern hemisphere during one half the year, and longer days in the southern hemisphere during the other half of the year.

Areas such as the United States and Europe receive more solar energy between May and September – not only because days are longer, but also because the sun is almost directly overhead during this season. The sun’s rays are far more slanted during the shorter days of the winter months. Cities such as Denver, Colorado, receive nearly three times more solar energy in June than they do in December.

Diffuse and Direct Sunlight

As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, some of it is absorbed, scattered, and reflected.

The following is a general list of materials that cause the sunlight to be diffused:

* Air Molecules
* Water vapor
* Clouds
* Dust
* Pollutants

Sunlight affected in this way is referred to as diffuse solar radiation or diffuse sunlight.

Sunlight that reaches the Earth’s surface without being diffused is called direct beam solar radiation or direct sunlight.

The sum total of all diffuse and direct solar radiation in a given location is called global solar radiation. It is the total amount of sunlight hitting the Earth at any specific spot, both direct and diffuse combined.

Pollution and other atmospheric conditions (such as weather patterns) can reduce direct sunlight by 10% on clear dry days. They can reduce direct beam radiation by 100% on thick, cloudy days.

Note that the absence of direct sunlight does not imply total darkness, as some diffuse light will still get through.

Measuring Sunlight and Solar Energy

Scientists measure the amount of sunlight available in specific locations during the different times of year.

They are then able to estimate the amount of sunlight which falls on similar regions at the same latitude with similar climates and conditions.

Measurements of solar energy are normally expressed as “total radiation on a horizontal surface”, or as “total amount of radiation on a surface tracking the sun”.

In this last case, the assumption is that one is using a solar panel that automatically tracks the sun.

In other words, the solar panel would be mounted on a tracking device so that the panel would remain at right angles to the sun throughout the day.

This system is primarily used for industrial setups, when it is used at all.

Solar Energy Measurements

Radiation data (the amount of solar energy available at a given location) for solar electric (photovoltaic) systems is often represented as kilowatt-hours per square meter (kWh/m2). Direct estimates of solar energy may be expressed as watts per square meter (W/m2).

Radiation data for solar water heating and space heating systems is usually represented in British thermal units per square foot (Btu/ft2).

See Faraway Planets And Stars With Binocular Telescope

Posted on December 15, 2008
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At one point in time, the stars and the moon held mysteries that mankind could only guess at. Knowledge only came with observation and study, yet this was nearly impossible when the objective was far away. Space optics magnified distant objects and provided clear images to study, and early scientists learned a great deal about the planet, the solar system and other objects surrounding us.

Other areas of study, including land and sea navigation, have prospered from the invention of the telescope. Binoculars, microscopes, camera lenses, and binocular spotting scopes, zoom binoculars, binocular rangefinders to name a few, are all here today because of telescopes.

binocular telescope
The earliest known telescope was created in 1608, and Galileo Galilei built his in 1609. Galileo is credited with the first astronomical uses of the telescope. Initially, it was used to spot ships. Johannes Kepler further improved upon Galileo’s design in 1611. From its modest creation from a pair of lenses, the telescope of today bears little resemblance to its ancient ancestor.

The telescope falls into three categories: reflecting, refracting and catadioptric. A reflecting telescope uses an arrangement of mirrors, a refracting telescope uses an arrangement of lenses, while a catadioptric telescope uses a combination of lenses and mirrors.

Telescopic research is an area where technology has advanced. When presented with the limitations of the refracting telescope, development of the reflecting telescope commenced. Initially designed in 1616, it wasn’t until 1668 that Sir Issac Newton developed the first practical reflecting telescope.

zoom binoculars
As with other telescopes, the larger the primary reflector, the better the image will be. Today’s optical systems range from less than 2 meters to over 11 meters. Unfortunately, the atmosphere of the earth limits the effectiveness of ground based systems because of atmospheric distortion. Several solutions to this problem have been found, including the Hubble Space Telescope.

Since its beginning in renaissance Venice, the telescope has assisted or directly contributed to numerous advances or discoveries. Ocean navigation depended upon it. Astronomy was born from it. Cameras were developed from it.

Just to name a few. And we haven’t finished learning yet. There is still a lot left to learn about these miraculous inventions, and mankind has, and will continue, to benefit immensely from these discoveries.

binocular rangefinders
Technology keeps improving telescopes and other optical systems. This new technology will push for the development of additional orbital platforms, which will help to eliminate atmospheric distortion plaguing other telescopic systems.

As each new layer of technology is invented we can count on being able to see the distant solar systems in a new and more interesting light. When you think about how far the telescope has come from its initial, humble beginnings, it is an amazement unto itself.

Solar Chimney | Solar Energy

Posted on December 10, 2008
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A new solar energy technology solution has been put to the test, and has been given the go-ahead for production in Australia.

This new solar power station is based on solar tower technology designed in Germany. The most fantastic thing about this new technology is the simplicity of its design, and its ingenious use of basic principles of physics to create energy.

So what is this new solar energy plant?

This new solar tower, also referred to as a “solar chimney,” uses solar power to turn wind turbines.

Solar energy to turn wind turbines?

How does this work?

Well, the simplest way to describe it is to compare it to a huge greenhouse with a large chimney.

As we all know, hot air rises.

The greenhouse within the solar chimney system captures the heat of the sun. The heated air in the greenhouse is then allowed to escape through a huge chimney.

Before the air escapes through the chimney, it is forced to pass through wind turbines, which are in turn used to generate electricity. You can see a diagram of it here.

The beauty of this technology is that it uses centuries-old tried-and-true principles of updraft. This is the same principles used for chimneys in open fire places. When you light a fire in your fireplace, your house doesn’t fill up with smoke. This is because of the suction which is created by the hot air rising up through the chimney. This pulls the smoke up through the chimney as well.

But in the case of the solar tower, we are not using a fire to create hot air. We are simply allowing the sun to do its thing: heat stuff up. In this case, the sun heats the air up, and the air rises through the solar chimney as a result.

Australia is the first country to build this type solar energy power plant for commercial use.

The central tower will be over 3000 feet high and 400 feet in diameter.

It will use 750,000 cubic yards of concrete.

The solar energy collector (greenhouse) will contain thirty-million square yards of space. That’s more than three and a half miles in diameter.

It will have 32 wind turbines placed at ground level, each capable of creating 6.25 megawatts of electricity.

It will take 34 months to construct.

It will provide a total of 200 megawatts, which is enough to provide solar power in the form of electricity, for over 200,000 households.

The solar tower will create absolutely no carbon emissions, greenhouse gases, or other pollutants in its energy generation process. In other words, it is going to be 100% eco-friendly.

Learn more about solar power and alternative energy. You can also find a variety of Solar Panels and other solar-powered or wind-powered equipment at the Solar Power Store.

Review Of Great Planes Realflight Simulator G4.5

Posted on December 5, 2008
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The Great Planes RealFlight Simulator G4.5, is the latest version of this incredibly popular flight simulator. New features in the G4.5 version include new aircraft, a new virtual instructor, and the ability to take off and land on water.

With RealFlight, flight simulator fans have been able to perform amazing aerobatics for over 10 years. Now, RealFlight tops itself by letting you fly float-equipped aircraft on and off water! With the Great Planes RealFlight Simulator G4.5, airplanes and helicopters react realistically when they collide with objects floating in constantly shifting water. Fly in such living, breathing 3D locales as a desert island, Sierra Nevada’s Alpine Lake – even the remains of a pirate ship!

With clear tropical waters and serene mountain lakes, water flying is a visual feast – and the technical flying challenges are tremendous fun to master.

Ask any R/C pilot what affects flight performance the most and they’ll likely respond with an aircraft’s physics. RealFlight is the flight sim that best reproduces realistic flight conditions. Fly in windy weather or crash into objects – both will affect your craft’s handling and performance. With RealFlight G4, you can choose where and what to fly, add floats or streamers – even receive advice from famous pilots!

Flying 4D aerobatics is another challenge to master using RealFlight G4.5. Learn torque rolls and other advanced aerobatic manoeuvres in the comfort and safety of your own home.

Introduce your loved ones to the pleasures of RC flying through an innocuous-appearing “computer game” – and before long, they will be hooked on the hobby, too!

One of RealFlight’s most popular features is its ability to teach new pilots how to fly with Virtual Flight Instructors. Acclaimed pilot John Glezellis continues this tradition by providing you with expert-level coaching tips on how to improve your airplane flying skills. As you listen, picture-in-picture videos simultaneously show proper stick movements and the maneuvers they create!

Who Should Buy The Great Planes RealFlight Simulator?

Used and recommended by leading instructors and champion pilots, the Great Planes Simulator is a must-buy for anyone interested in flying radio controlled models. The Great Planes RealFlight Simulator G4.5 offers excellent value, both to the beginner RC flier, and to the experienced pilot looking to further develop aerobatics skills.

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